Applications of contact-transfer printed membranes

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide sensitive pixel arrays formed using solvent-assisted or unassisted release processes. Exemplary devices include detectors arrays, tunable optical instruments, deflectable mirrors, digital micro-mirrors, digital light processing chips, tunable optical micro-cavity resonators, acoustic sensors, acoustic actuators, acoustic transducer devices and capacitive zipper actuators to name a few.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tunable optical device, comprising:
 a substrate defining an array of cavities with each cavity supporting an electrode;   a reflective membrane formed over the substrate so as to form a plurality of diaphragms, each diaphragm corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of cavities and each diaphragm and corresponding electrode defining an electrode pair;   power source for biasing a first electrode pair and a second electrode pair;   wherein each of the first electrode pair and the second electrode pair deflects responsive to an applied bias thereby distorting reflection of an incident light.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a rigid or a flexible substrate. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective membrane is a metallic membrane selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, aluminum, chrome, copper, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode pair and the second electrode pair deflect in substantially the same direction. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first electrode pair and the second electrode pair deflect in different directions. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the power source biases the first electrode pair independently of the second electrode pair. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the power source biases the first electrode pair and the second electrode pair substantially simultaneously. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the power source biases the first electrode pair and the second electrode pair sequentially. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective membrane is a composite of different materials. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an insulator layer covering a portion of at least one cavity. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cavities has sloping sidewalls. 
     
     
         12 . A tunable optical micromirror device, comprising:
 a diaphragm formed over a cavity and supported by a structure;   a first electrode and a second electrode positioned in the cavity;   a power supply for biasing each of the first electrode, the second electrode and the diaphragm; and   a controller for controlling the power supply to bias one or more of the first electrode, the second electrode and the diaphragm;   wherein the controller activates the first electrode or the second electrode, and wherein activating one of the first electrode or the second electrode deflects a region of the diaphragm.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the diaphragm is a composite of metallic, semiconductor and non-conductive material. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first or the second electrode is integrated into the cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein activating the first electrode deflects the diaphragm in a first direction and activating the second electrode deflects the diaphragm in a second direction. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein activating the first electrode or the second electrode deflects the diaphragm in a first direction. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller activates the first and the second electrodes simultaneously or sequentially. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the controller activates the first electrode or the second electrode independently of each other. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the diaphragm has a thickness gradient. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 12 , further comprising an insulator layer covering a portion of the cavity. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first and the second electrode are positioned at or below the cavity. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of cavities have one or more of different shapes, sizes or depths. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the cavity has sloping sidewalls.